Beware who takes away your rubbish, Hillingdon people warned

RESIDENTS and businesses in Hillingdon are being warned that rubbish from building work or garden landscaping that ends up being fly-tipped could be traced back to them, potentially resulting in costly fines.

Even if rubbish is fly-tipped in neighbouring boroughs, or dumped by somebody else, council officers in Hillingdon and neighbouring boroughs work together to find out who is responsible.

West Drayton resident Andrea Brown (not her real name) was redecorating her house when she was cold-called by two men offering a rubbish clearing service.

She paid them £160 to take rubbish away but they fly-tipped it on a road in nearby Iver.

She said “I didn’t really want them to take my rubbish, but I felt I had no other option because I live on my own and I don’t drive.

“Weeks later I got a call from South Buckinghamshire District Council to say I’d dumped the rubbish on Mansion Lane.

“I would urge people to use only trusted and reputable rubbish clearance services and ask them for a receipt showing where they have taken your rubbish. Don’t be pressured into making a hasty decision like I did.”

Fly-tippers can be fined up to £50,000 and, in serious cases, there might be community punishment or prison.

A list of registered waste carriers can be found on the Environment Agency website, www.gov.uk/access-the-public-register-for-environmental-information